Key-opening can.



W. E. TAYLOR.

KEY OPENING CAN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2s. 19!].

LQMA'HU Patented Jan.22,1918.

Fzgfi 4 /4 13 i H} I l M l I Lilia/aid Trig/[or forms a part of thls specification,

.mentary elevation WILLIAM E. TAYLOR, 0F EASTPOET, MAIN E, ASSIGNOR T9 AMERICAN CAN CQMPAW,

03 NEW YURK, N. Y., A CDRPOEATEON @F NEW JERSEY.

KEY-WPENENG (IAN.

Specification of Letters Itatent.

Patented Jan. 22, 191% Application filed May 25, 1911. serial No. 62$,29fi.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM EJ-TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing in Eastport, in the county of Washington and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Key-Opening Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in roll top cans, wherein the fiat top of the can is scored and provided with a tongue to receive a key for opening the can, and the invention consists in confining the scoring within the fiat or panel portion of the can top and arranging the tongue so that when the key is applied, the tear will take place across the unscored margin of the top and meet the scored lines.

In the accompanying drawing? which igure 1 is a plan view of a can of the sardine type showing the scoring. Fig. 2 is a side. elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a section on the line H of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a fragof the can to show the opening tongue. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on the line 6-6 of Fig. l.

In scoring cans of this character, it has been customary to carry the scoring lines across the margin of the cover to the edges of the tongue. I have found that it is unnecessary to do this, and that it will be quite sufficient if the scoring lines are carried' up to the edge of the panel, leaving the margin of the can top entirely unscored. 1 find that in a can so constructed, when the key is applied to open the same, the winding of the key will tear the tin at both sides of the same, and the tear so made will meet the scoring lines and continue thereafter on such open. In this construction, no part of the scored tin enters into the seam, which is an advantage in avoiding pin holes, leaks, etc.; moreover, the omission of the scoring for the margin simplifies the scoring die and the scoring operation. In the said drawing, 10 represents a can body of the ordinary drawn sardine type and having a-flanged upper edge, as shown -can,the unscored margin of the top,

lines until the can is at 11. 12 is the can top, paneled or countersunk to fit within the body and seamed to the can body by the seam 13. The can top is scored with the scoring or weakening lines 14L which terminate at the edge of the panel and do not extend up or over the seam. lhe tongue is shown at 15, its base being proximate to the terminals 16, 16 of the scoring lines. When the tongue is rolled upon the key in the opening of the which forms the seam will tear at each side of the tongue and the tear will meet the scoring lines, after which the can will open on said scoring lines.

v It will be noted that in the drawing of the can hereof, as will be seen by a comparison of Figs. 1 and 5, that the base of the tearing tongue is much wider than-the distance on the can cover between the two ends of thescored or weakened line adjacent thereto. 1 have found that where an attempt is made to tear a tin sheet or can cover by means of a tongue, the tear from each edge of the tongue will be in converging lines. This action is easily demonstrated by attempting to tear a piece of paper by pulling a tongue at one side of the same, holding down the paper at the" edge of the tongue and lifting the tongue to make the tear. lines of the tear always thus converge, makes the wider based tearing tongue essential. And this construction I find is especially essential where the tear is across a soldered seam.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. A can comprising a body member'and a cover having asoldered seam uniting the two, the cover being provided with an integral tearing tongue outside of the soldered seam and being provided also with scored tearing lines, the ends of which terminate inside the seam adjacent said tearing tongue,

the base of the tearing tongue being separated trom the terminals of said scored tearing lines by the soldered seam, substantially as specified.

2. A. can comprising a body member and lhe fact that the two a cover, the same being united by a soldered scam, the cover having amintegral tearing tongue located outside of said seam and being also provided with scored tearing lines located Within the seam, the ends of said lines terminating Within the seam adjacent the base of the tearing tongue and spaced apart'a less-distance than the base of the tongue, substantially as specified.

WILLIAM E. TAYLOR. Witnesses JoHN L. PARKER, MYRTLE M. ORWOOD. 

